Barbie Movie Review: Margot Robbie is terrific but Ryan Gosling’s Ken steals the show

Is it a toast or is it a roast ? This is a question you might ask yourself at several moments in Barbie. The iconic doll who can boast of world dominion is the centre piece of this pop culture ode by director Greta Gerwig. Barbie isn't just a toy; she's also a symbol of everything that says 'picture perfect.' Over the years, Mattel has Barbified every possible profession, race, and color. There is also a dig at a discontinued Barbie who is depicted as pregnant. Gerwig's take on what Barbie signifies and the emotional connection with a girl, as well as the boys who are almost Ken-like in their constant need for validation from a crush, make up the core plot of the film

Barbie has seeped into the psyche of every girl on the planet, but her counterpart, Ken, has existed in the Barbie-verse for only one simple reason - to love her and to unconditionally dote on her. Like Ryan Gosling, who plays Ken, says, ‘There is no Ken without Barbie’. The film is not for kids - it deals with several themes meant for grown-ups and even the jokes and one-liners are actually for adults.

In between the real world and the Barbie world lies another world full of possibilities that turns the tables on both sexes, making them face some pretty poignant themes that are relevant in the real world. The Barbies live in their own Utopia, a perfect paradise where the sun is shining bright and every nail and toe is radiating with the finest manicure and pedicure. For someone who has tip-toed (a perfect metaphor to veer off real life issues) all her life, one fine day Barbie (Margot Robbie) wakes up to find that her feet are actually flat. What begins as an exercise to fix her flat feet with the help of a weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) soon becomes a life-altering experience for the Barbies of Barbieland.

Even though the film is called Barbie, the most interesting scenes in the movie are from Ken’s point of view. How Gosling plays Ken is just a testament to his acting chops. There would be no Barbie without Ken and no Robbie without Gosling.

Everything from his washboard abs to that cheeky smile and that stand out musical piece are top notch. Gerwig’s take on 'men vs women' and how they play off on each other in modern day society with the reference to 'Barbie vs Ken' discourse is a master stroke. When Ken checks all the boxes on what it takes to be a man and returns to Barbieland to pass on the learning to other Kens, the film hits a solid home run on the emotional turf.

Here's the trailer:

Barbie is a lot of fun. Apart from Gosling and Robbie, two stand out performances that will have you rooting for them are America Ferrera (playing mom to a teenager) and Will Ferrel (Mattel boss). Ferrera is so good and has the best monologues in the film that get claps and cheers from women and men in the audience. Ferrell takes several digs and roasts the makers of Barbie in their own film (what a genius master stroke!).

Barbie is a very important chapter in pop culture history. Gerwig’s use of color and every possible hue and shade of pink and shade of pastels and blue lights up the frame, bringing out the kid in you.

The soundtrack that boasts Dua Lipa, Nicki Minaj and Billie Eilish is a jam and music plays a very important part in the film. The costumes, the ode to iconic brands like Chanel, every piece that Robbie wears should be archived in a gallery.

Barbie opens with a dialogue about what it takes to be a man and what it takes to be a woman. Who decides which gender does what? In a world that is rapidly embracing change and diversity, Barbie will resonate with everyone and anyone who felt left out, not enough or questioned of their very existence. It’s therapeutic but not in a serious way.

Greta Gerwig’s pink ode to celebrating the imperfections in a plastic world that pushes perfection down your throat is a film that will find its place among the halls of movies that defined pivotal pop culture moments in cinematic history.

4 out of 5 stars for Barbie.